Surgical instrument.



O. 0. S. HOWE.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. 1913.

1,079,128, Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

CLARENCE o. s. HOWE, OF MON'ICLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 20, 1913.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

Serial No. 749,573.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE O. S. I-Iown, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the town of Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surgical lnstrun'ients, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to surgical instruments, and more particularly to clipping instruments used in oral surgery.

The object of the invention is to provide dental scissors adapted to the purpose of cutting away the tough overlying membrane of gum which is usually found during the process of dentition of the molars, particularly in the case of the cutting of the wisdom teeth, in the form of a projecting tongue or flap thereon. The operation of removal of this overlying portion of the gum is, by reason of its location at the extreme rear of the jaw, its binding closely upon the growing tooth, and the tough nature of the substance itself, one attended by considerable difficulty. lVith my improved instrument this operation is simplified and rendered more certain and attended with less discomfort to the patient.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention.

In these drawings Figure 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the instrument; Fig. 2 is a plan view of same; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the clipping portion on a plane at right angles to Fig. 2, showing the useful application of the instrument .in position for cutting; Fig. 4: is a. similar view showing the parts closed together; Fig. 5 is an end view showing the application of the cutting members under the conditions of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a similar view under the conditions of Fig. l.

Like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts of the several views, 1 being the upper and 2 the lower scissor member, pivoted together at 8. The upper member is terminated at its cutting end by an annular head 4t having integral therewith a rounded downwardly projecting cutting flange 5. This flange is formed as to the inner face 6 of its outer portion upon a curve having the pivotal point as its center and is outwardly beveled at its cutting edge 7. Its cutting edge is formed upon two converging curves making a beak or V-shaped point 8. The head of the lower member comprisesa spatular plate 9 convcxed on its upper face and terminating in an edge 10 adapted to shearing engagement with the cutting edge of the other member. I have shown the two members pivoted in the form of construction preferred, in which bosses 11 are formed on the lower member, the upper member being slotted to receive one of these, the parts being drilled to receive the pivoting screw, this construction affording the lateral support necessary to assure the positive action of the cutting heads without liability to distortion. In the operation of my dental scissors, the plate 9 is introduced along the surface of the tooth beneath the portion of gum projecting thereover. By means of the skeleton formation of the annular head of the upper member, the operator may perceive the amount of the surface of the membrane included between the heads. In clipping the included portion the operation is facilitated by preventing any slip of the membrane in case it is in the form of a tongue or flap by the point 8 of the cutting edge, which first enters the gum, and thus prevents its receding, and upon closing the cutting edgc against the edge of the lower plate, the gum is sheared off from the point or beak as the cutting edge cooperates with the edge of the lower plate, the cutting procceding simultaneously on the two sides as the edge engages the lower plate.

I have shown and described my invention as particularly adapted to the specific use set forth, but find it also well adapted for other operations of oral surgery.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Dental scissors for cutting away over lying membranes comprising pivotally conncctcd members having ctmverging end portions, one of said portions having an annular head, a cutting beak depending thercfrom, and a central V-shaped point formed on the cutting edge of said beak and adapted to prevent the membrane from receding during the cutting operation, and the other portion having a spatular head adapted to cooperate in shearing engagement with the cutting edge of the other.

2. Dental scissors for cutting a my overlying membranes comprisiug pivotally connected members having converging end portions, one of said portions having an annular head and a cutting beak depending ed to cooperate in shearing engagement with therefrom, a double curve on the cutting the cutting edge of the other. edge of said beak terminating in a central V-shaped point, said point being adapted to CLARENCE HOWE a 5 gri the membrane and prevent its reced- Witnesses:

ing during the cuttingoperation, and the SEWARD DAVIS,

other portion having aspatular head adapt- OLIVER WVIL mus.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

